DPWH summons Taguig contractors for CDO violation

Photo shows the construction of buildings on reclaimed land at the Lakeshore Complex in Lower Bicutan in Taguig yesterday.

Ryan Baldemor

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways has issued show-cause orders to contractors in Taguig who allegedly continued construction activities despite existing cease-and-desist directives.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed that the agency immediately took action following statements from Sen. Panfilo Lacson regarding ongoing construction work at questioned sites in the city.

“Immediately, we acted on that. Our district engineers issued show-cause orders to the contractors involved there, and they have been ordered to follow the cease-and-desist orders,” Dizon told reporters.

He clarified that while the department is currently waiting for formal explanations from the contractors, latest field reports indicate that all unauthorized construction activities have been successfully halted.

“As of our latest reporting, no construction work is continuing at the site. I personally had it checked yesterday and there are no longer workers on the ground,” Dizon said.

When asked about potential fines and administrative sanctions for contractors who defied the initial stop orders, Dizon emphasized that the department will determine the exact penalties upon evaluating the contractors’ responses.

“What is important is that everyone should comply. Whatever the order is, it should be complied with,” he said.

Transparency portal

At the same time, Dizon urged civil society to help the agency end large-scale misuse of public funds for infrastructure by scrutinizing the newly launched DPWH 2027 National Expenditure Program Transparency Portal, in partnership with watchdog Bisto Proyekto.

Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, for his part, said the transparency portal will allow citizens to help in the whole-of-society effort to guard public funds for infrastructure.

To prevent a repeat of infrastructure corruption, the DPWH and Bisto Proyekto’s “Angry Nerds” coalition of over 5,000 volunteer software engineers developed the transparency portal to upload and track 11,372 proposed projects worth P445 billion.